Steam-heating system.



No. 882,300. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. J. A. DONNBLLY.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1904.

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' lIVI/E/VTOR j wzsm Maui ATTORNEY,

WITNESSES:

No. 882,300. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. J. A. DONNELLY.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 00121, 1904.

a sums-HEM 2.

gm WTNESLSZS:

9% Q2 WM? ing my steam heating system. Fig. 2 is a designatecorresponding the several views.

1 system further is so designed as to be readily ator shown in Figs. 5,6 and 7.

steam main of the system, which main is conlow absolute pressure. "mainS, branches lead to the venous sections branch returns R R etc.

heating system. Into each branch r'eturn JAMES A. DONNELLY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEM.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. DONNELLY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and residing at.borough of Brooklynfcity of New York, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Steam-Heating Systems, of w ichthe following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a system of steam heating, and particularlyto asystem utilnecessary to maintain a vacuum in the return. It is sodesigned as to reduce the steam in the return to a minimum, therebymaintaining a substantially uniform vacuum therein and also enablingthesize of the vacuum pump to be materially reduced. The

controlled by the person in charge and capable of adjustment tovarying'conditions of weather. I p

- My invention will best be understood when'described in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewillustratsectional view of the pressure regulating valve employed. Fig.3 is asectional view of an automatic impulse valve which may be used atthe outlet of the primary radiating device. F ig: 4 is a sectional viewillustrating the application of the automatic impulse valve shown inFig. 3 to a combined rimary and auxiliary radiating device.

igs. 5, 6 and 7 are various forms of radiating devices. Fig. 8 is adetail sectional view of the partition used in the base of the radi-Similar letters and nu-merals of reference parts throughout Referringnow to Figs. 1, S designates the nectedto the exhaust from an engine orother steam apparatus, rejecting steam at a .From the steam oftheheating. system, and the condensed water and air are discharged intoa return mainR, connected to a pum Q, through-the F ig. 1 shows but twosteam branches S,'and S, two return branches R R and but one section ofthe pipe 11 etc., isinserted a pressure regulating Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed October 21,

Patented March 17, 1908. 1904. Serial No. 229,410.

valve V in such a position as to be readily accessible to the engineerin charge. The function of this valve is to maintain a constantpredetermined difference of pres sure between the supply S and thereturn R and also to act as mechanical means for the removal of air. Thevalve V is shown in detail in Fig. 2. 4

The letter B- designates the bodyor casing of'the valve V including thewhich closes the lower end. phragm 16 is inseterd between the ca 13 andthe upper part of the body dividing the space in the valve body into anup er low pressure chamber and a-lower fiigh pressure chamber 18. Ahollow U-shaped 4 projects into the globular partof t 1e valve body Band forms a discharge chamber 6 with an outlet 3, while the chamber 5extending from the diaphragm into the globular part. of the valve body Bhas an inlet 2 to be connected to the fluid, the pressure of which is tobe regulated.

In the partition 4 are formed two passages or openings 8 and 9 arrangedin a vertical se arate cap 13 ii flexible diaartition line andcontrolled respectively by valve-' pieces 10 and 11 mounted u on acommon valve-rod 12. The lower on of this valverod passes through thecap 13, which is the bottom of the valve body or casing, and isconnected with a lever 14 having thereon an adjustable weight 15 whichexerts a downward pull on the valve-rod. The chamber 18, formed by thecap and diaphragm is-connected by a small branch pipe 19 with the highpressure conduit S and constitutes the high ressure chamber. A suitablevalve 20 may. e placed in the branch pipe 19.

Under normal working conditions, the valves 10 and 11 are always more'or less open, due tothe action of the weighted lever and the pressure onthe upper face of the diaphra m 16, and it will-now be readily understoothat as the pressure in the pipe or con duit R or in the chamber 5varies, the change of pressure on the diaphragm 16 will either increaseor decrease thearea of the openings at the valves 10 and 11, thuspermitting more'or less escape of fluid from the pipe or conduit, underthe influence of a, vacuum pump. The same is true for variations of thepressure in the pipe or conduit S.

When the R falls,-the decreased area' 'of the 0 at the passages 8 and 9will check t charge from the valve, thereby increasing enings edispressure in the pipe orconduit the pressure at the inlet to the valveand maintaining the desired difference of pressure between the steamsupply S and the return R When the pressure in the pipe or conduit Rrises, the pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm 16 forces thesame downwardly and increases the area of the passages 8 and 9. Thiscauses an increased suction in the pipe or conduit R and the fluid israpidly drawn out, thus diminishing the pressure in the pipe, andrestablishing the desired difference of pressure. The degree ofdifference of pressure to be maintained is controlled by the position ofthe weight on the lever 14 and may be varied as conditions reciuire.

When the steam is supplied constanty at atmospheric pressure, the highpressure .primary radiatim device and has a yielding,"

chamber 18 may be opened to the atmosphere. I

In practice I place in the return pipe R near the valve V a strainer Tto remove the dirt invariably present. This strainer is so constructedas to be readily removed for cleaning.

Between the steam supply S and the re-- turn R are placed the variousradiating delet from the auxiliary radiating surface A is connected tothe branch return R by the pipe r into which may be inserted a checkvalve E to prevent heating from the return. The pressure regulatingvalve V may be inserted into this pipe 1 as'shown at- D", af-

fording another means of control for that particular radiating device.

' In practice I prefer to use the automatic impulse valve in theconnection between the primary and auxiliary radiating surfaces. Thisvalve'is located on the outlet side of the weight ed valve piece 24provided with an impact surface 25 beyond the. seat of the passage-way23. It is caused to move away from its seat by the accumulated head ofwater of condensation and the impact of the issuing jet of water, thusgradual y opening the passage-way until the water of condensation issubstantially discharged, when'it returns to itsnormal position in whichit presents a minimum opening. The passage of steam through this valveis thus reduced to a minimum and a very regular and positive action isobtained. The valve as shown in Fig. 3 comprises a valve body orcasing'I provided with a'removable top '5, and having an inlet 21 and anoutlet 22. A. valve passage-way diators separate andrdistinct.

23 iscontrolled by a valve piece 24, preferably made conical in form andhaving an enlarged base 25 located beyond the passageway 23 and formedinto a' suitable impact surface. The saidvalveieceis connected to onearm of a bell-crank lever 26 pivoted at 27, to a projection 28 of thevalve casing. The other arm of the lever 26 is weighted to the desiredamount by weights 29 held in position by the screw 30. In practice theseweights are so adjusted that 'a niinimum restricted opening is left forthe passage of air and of water of condensation under normal conditions.-When, however, there is an ac cumulation of water of condensation to asufficient height to form a jet of water, the impact of the latter uponthe in; act surface 25 the area of opening, thus increasing the jet' andfurthering the outward movement until it is thrown wide, open. When thewater is substantially discharged, the valve piece gradually closesunder the action of the weights 29 until it resumes its normal position.

Should the opening through the valve become closed by dirt, the pressuredue to the head of the accumulating water willmove the valve piece in oposition to the weights and cause the dirt an water to be blown out. Thistype of valve is designed to be used in connection with the previouslydescribed pressure regulating valve.

The radiating devices placed between the supply and the return may be ofvarious forms and combinations as shown in Fig. 1. D illustrates theauxiliary and primary radiating devicescombined in one, an automaticimpulse valve, substantiallysimilar to that shown in Fig.- 3 being lacedin the base connection 28 between t e two parts as shown in Fig. 4. Thevalve passage way 23 is in this case formed in a piece 'i screwed intothe base connection 28 and to which piece the lever 26 is pivotedcarrying the valveiece 24 and weighted with the weights 29. 2illustrates primary and auxiliary ra- D the same, the radiating devicesbeing in coil form. D? illustrates the form shown in D Fig. 1, the checkvalve E-in the outlet ipe 1" being replaced by the pressure regu atingvalvev A strainer Tis'placed ahead of this valve as in the case of thevalve V.

' In order to further prevent the return pipe from being filled withsteam, the radiating I devices may be so designed as to hold back andcool the water of condensation causing it to accumulate inthe base ofthe radiators or in a chamber placed-beneath the radiators. By thismeans the water is cooled a definite amount, depending upon the surfaceexposed. Various forms of these radiators are illustrated in Figs. 5, 6and 7.- Fig. 6 shows a radiator having a chamber a beneath it andconnected at each end by a passage 1). Near the outlet end of thischambera partition p of the form shown in Fig. 8 is placed, the saidpartition p forming a trap for the water used, but allowing the air topass out.

If the valve I, placed at the outlet of the primary radiator, be athermostatic valve and situated on a level somewhat above the bottom ofthe chamber in the base of the ra diator D, Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the air aswell as the water may be cooled a definite amount. The valve is set toopen to the water and the air at the desired temperature. As the warmwater cannot reach the valve directly because of the partition 10, it iscooled before reaching the therm ostatic valve, having been retained inthe cooling chamber a sufficient time.

Fig. 7 shows the two chambers shown in Fig. 6 combined into one, andFig. 5 the modification applied to both primary and auxiliary radiatingdevices.-

It is of, course to be understood that I do not limit myself to theparticular form of valves or radiating devices employed, as my inventionconsists essentially in the combination of a primary and auxiliaryradiator with means for establishing a controllable difierence ofpressure between the supply to and the return from said combination ofprimary and auxiliary radiators.

In all vacuum systems, it is essential to maintain the absolute pressureof the steam in the primary radiating devices as near as possible tothat of the steam supply, and to provide means for the removal of theair from the radiating devices. It is also essential to keep steam outof the return as much as possible, so as to have the vacuum pump toremove only air and condensed water. \Yith such a condition the drop ofvacuum in the return pipe is avoided and a substantially uniform vacuummaintained throughout the return.

The vacuum systems installed up to the present time do not give entiresatisfaction as proper regard has not been given to keeping out thesteam from the return and to placing all of the radiating devices und'erpractically the same and uniform conditions. These systems use automaticvalveswhich pass the water of condensation from atmospheric pressure anda temperature of 212 degrees F. into a pressure in many plants as low asfive pounds'absolute and 160 degrees F. T/Vater under these conditionswill give off almost 5% of its weight into steam, and this steam willhave a volume nearly three times as large as steam at atmosphericpressure. One and a half pounds of steam under these conditions willoccu y about 110 cubic feet. It will thus readily be seen that if forevery thirty pounds of water passed under these conditions through anautomatic valve, al-

most 110 cubic feet of steam are generated at a temperature of 160degrees F, a device of this 0 aracter delivering water only, under theseconditions, is an impossibility For a rather large plant using the oldsystem, a return pressure of five pounds absolute may be assumed as afair standard. With the supply at atmospheric pressure at the beginningof the line and the return at the pump at five ounds absolute, adifference of ten poun s exist between the two sides of the automaticvalves in the radiators located near that place. As the distance fromthe beginningof the line increases, the pressure in t e steam supplyfalls very slowly so that at the farthest end of the system,-it

may be from fourteento thirteen ounds absolute. In the return, however,t e pressure mcreases very rapidly from the pump to the farthest end sothat there will be a pressure of from thirteen to twelve pounds absoluteat the farthest end. The necessity of creating and maintaining thisdifference of. pressure of one pound at the most remote point of thesystem compels the use of the before assumed five pounds absolutepressure at'the pump. 'There is therefore a gradually de creasingdifference of pressure in going from the pump to the most remote oint ofthe system and no two'valves worr under the same conditions.

The increase of pressure in the return-line from the pump to the mostremote point depends upon the length of the run, the number of units,and whether a considerable number of units are near the beginning of therun and so subject to the high difierence of pressure. This extremelylarge increase in pressure in the return main is caused b the quantityof steam brought back throng the return main being more than thecapacity of the pipe, and makes necessary the use of either a largeamount of jet water, or the use of a very large vacuum pump,or'sometimes both.

To cut down the quantity of steam assing into the return, I reduce thesteam eakage through the ports of the automatic valves from that due toa ten pound difference of pressure to that due to a difference ofpressure of one-quarter pound or less. This is made possible bytheemployment of the previously described pressure regulating valvewhich is placed in the return and maintains therein a pressure at aconstant predetermined amount below that in the supply.

As shown in Fig. 1 these pressure regulating valves are placed in thebranch return pipes from the radiating devices and control the flow offluid by checking. or releasing the pressure on the inlet side of thevalve, as

the difference of pressure is respectively inyond the valve an dependsonly on the pressures in the supply pipe and the return to the valve.

I also obtain the advantages of a surface .radiating devices auxiliaryradiating surfaces of suflicient ca acity to condense the steam passingthroug the automatic valves of the primary radiating devices, the steamformed by the Water from' the primary radiating devices entering achamber of lower pressure, and to cool the water thus condensed and theair a definite amount.

The initial condition of lower ressure in the auxiliary radiatingdevices is obtained by causing the air to -flow through the pressureregulating valve into the lower pressure of the main return at firstfaster than it can enter through the leakage port of the automatic valvethereby causing the pressure to drop the desired amount. The pressureregulating valve then partly closesthe passage through itself.Thereafter the flow of air through the regulating valve-will depend uponthe rate of condensation, the difierence in pressure being keptconstant. If the rate of condensation in the auxiliary radiating devicebecomes so rapid as to reduce the pressure in it, the pressureregulating valve closes against the passage of air and holds .the airback until the pressure rises to reestablish the desired difierence. Tosecure a difierent heating effect, it is only necessary to increase ordecrease the difference of pressure in order to increase or decrease theamount of heat radiated.- If the, difference be increased, steamwillhave be condensed more rapidly in the auxlliary radiator, thus loweringthe pressuretherein and assisting in maintaining the desired difference.v

It will thus be seen that by varying the difierence in pressure betweenthe supply and the return by means of the pressure regulating valve, acorresponding variation in the condensation is effected and a consequentvariation in the amount of heat radiated. The pressure regulating valveis i usually placed so as. to be readily accessible to the engineer incharge and it thus becomes a simple matter tovary the heating eflect ofthe radiating devices. In plants of considerable magnitude-the system isdivided into a number of sections, each section having its own pressureregulating valve, said valve being placed 'dire'ctly under the controlof the engineer in charge. Even should this valve be closed against thepassageof air, it will still remove the waterof condensation,

as the static headof the Water gathering,

.upon the diaphragm causes it to act as a steam trap. An automatic valvemay be laced' in the base of a radiator as shown in ig. 4,thus-combining the primary and aux- 5 iliaryradiator intoone. A lightcheck valve iliary radiator to prevent heating fromf the return. Afurther control ofthe radiating the amount of steam supplied through theinlet valve to the primary radiator. I I What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. Ina steam heating system, thecombination of a steam supply pipe, a return for the air and for theWater of condensation, a primary radiating device communicating with thesteam supply pipe, an auxiliary radiating device' communicating with theoutlet of the primary radiating device and with the return, and meanswithin said comiliary radiating devices for restricting the flow offluld, and means beyond said means within the communication acting toautotheinlet side of said meansand to control the flow through saidreturn.

2. In a steam heating. system, the combination of a steam supply ipe, areturn a primary radiating device communicating with the steam supplypipe, an auxiliary outlet of the primary radiating device and with thereturn, and means within said communication between therimary andauxiliary radiating devices or restricting the ilow of fluid, and meansbeyond'said radiating devices located in the return, and acting toautomaticall control the pressure in the flow through said return.

3. In a steam heating system, the'combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with the outlet of the primary radiatingdevice and with the return, means withinsaid communication between theprimary and auxiliary .devices for restricting the flow of fluid, andmeans for automatically establishing a predetermined substantiallyconstant difierreturn;

binationiof a st eam supply ,pipe, a return forthe air and for the waterof'condensation, a primary radiating device communicating with, thesteam supply pipe, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with theoutlet of the primary radiating device and with the return, means withinsaid communication between the primary-and. auxiliary radiating devicesfor restricting. the flow of fluid, and means for automaticallycontrolling the erence of pressure between the V supply and the return5radiating device communicating with the ence-of pressure between thesupply and th may also be placed on the outlet of the aux-" combinationis made possible by varying" munication between the primary and aux- Imatically control the pressure existing on for the air and forthe water0 condensation, I

inlet side of said means and to controlthe 4. In a steam heating system,the com-'- In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supplypipe, a return for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with. the outlet of the primary radiatingdevice and with the return, means within said communicalion between theprimary and auxiliary radiating devices for restricting the Ilow oflluid, means beyond the auxiliary radiating device for automaticallyrestricting the flow of lluid, and means for controlling the dift'crenceof pressure between the supply and the return.

6. In a steam heating system, the combination ol a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation,

a primary radiating device communieatiug 5 with the strum supply pipe,an auxiliary ra- (hating device communicating with the outi let oi theprimary radiating device and with the rel urn, means within saidcommunication 1 adapted to restrict the flow thcrcthrough to yield to anincreasing ditl'erence ol' pressu re, and means for automaticallycontrolling the difi'erence of pressure between the supply and thereturn.

7. in a steam heating system, the combination oi a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and tor the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an auxiliarvral .diating device communicating with the outlet ol' the primaryradiating device and with the return, an automatic valve in saidcommunication between the primary and auxiliary radiating device, and apressure regulating valve l'or automatically controlling the dill'erenceof pressure between the supply and the return.

In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an inletvalve to the primary radiating device, an auxiliary radiating devicecommunicating with the outlet of the primary radiating device and withthe return, an automatic. valve at outlet of said primary radiatingdevice, and a pressure regulating valve in the return from saidauxiliary radiator for automatically controlling the ditlerence ofpressure between the supply and the return.

9. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an auxiliaryra diatingdevice commumcatmg with the out let of the primary radiatingdevice and with l l l the return, an automatic valve in saidcommunication between the primary and auxiliary radiating device,provided with a 'yield ing valve piece having a conical projectionfitting the valve passage way, and means for automatically controllingthe ditl'erenee of pressure between the supply and the return.

10. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with the outlet ot the primary radiatingdevice and with the return, an automatic valve in said communicationbetween the primary and auxiliary radiating device, provided with ayielding valve piece having a conical projection "litting the valvepassage way, and a pressure regulating valve in the return from saidauxiliary radiator [or automatically controlling the dill'erencc ofpressure between the supply and the return.

1]. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communicating with the steam supply pipe and providedwith av chamber tor cooling the water of con densation, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with the outlet of the said primaryradiating device and with the return, means within said communicationbetween the primary and auxiliary radiating devices for restricting the[low of lluid, and

means for automatically controlling the difference of pressure betweenthe supply and the return.

12. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply pipe, areturn for the air and for the water of condensation, a primaryradiating device communcating with the steam supply pipe and providedwith a chamber for cooling the water of condensation, an auxiliaryradiating device communicating with the outlet of the primary radiatingdevice and with the return and provided with a chamber for cooling thewater of condensation, means within said communication between primaryand aux iliary radiating devices for restricting the flow of lluid, andmeans for automatically controlling the difl'erence of pressure betweenthe supply and the return.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 20th day of October 1902.

. JAMES A. DONNELLY. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. Ersnnnausn, WILLIAM T. DONNELLY.

